buttfield



Fell 16, 1932-v G. BUTTFIELD I1,844,942

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING HUMIDITY Filed June 27. 1929 zsneets-sneet 1 malga-@li INVENTOR 6,15 Baz? ZB ,S022 y ATTORNEY Feb. 1s, 1932. @FEW-HELD 1,844,942

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING HUMIDITY Filed June 27, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR mi DE *ATTORNEY Patented Feb. is, 1932 l v1,844,942

UNITED STATES: PATENT OFFICE GIBSON BUrrF'iELnor rLAmrIELn, NEW JERSEY,

Arrm'rus Fon coNTRoLLING nrrJuIDJFr-Y application mea .time 27, 1929. serial no. 374,224.

My invention relates to a humidity coi'iprovide dust removal means, whereby the trolling' apparatus, andl it consists 1n the passing a-ir may be scoured or scrubbed while novel features, which are hereinafter depassing through the said apparatus, and, scribed. r Vfurther,'to provide means for the removal of One of the objects of my improvement is to. dust sludge from the apparatus from time to 55 provide a humidity controlling apparatus, time. which is automatically influenced by a hu- Another lobJect oi my improvement is to midostat through electrical connections prohave said apparatus compact, simple, duravided for that purpose, ble and comparatively inexpensive. m Another object of my improvement is to provide a humidity controlling apparatus, alter appeal'. which may not raise the temperature of the I atlalll these ObJeCtS by the llllmlfllly C09- air current passing therethrough, whereby l'OlllIlg apparat-11S, 011e fof m 0f which 1S said apparatus may be used during comparalllustrated in the accompanying drawings or tively warm weather, when no heating of the room is desirab1e modification o f the same.

A further object of my improvement is to Ill the fllawmgs provide an improved, preferably electrically Flg l 1S a vertlcal section on the line 1 1 controlled, humidity controlling apparatus, 0f F1g- 2 lookmg 1n the dllectlon 0f the which is continually in operation normally allQWS; 70

Supplying a moderate quantity of moisture Fig. 2 is a vertical section on thebroken to the air ofarooml or rooms, and, when called. l1ne 2 2 0f Flgon bythe action of a suitable humidostat, au- Flg- 3 1S a detall H l Vel'tICP-l SGCIOD 0f all tomatically to supply an additional quantity automatic Water heatlng dence which forms of moisture to the air. Parli 0f my aPPalaUS;

Another Object of my improvement is to Fig. 4 is a detail 1n vertical section through provide said humidity controlling apparatus the Passage binding from thefr. washing with an automatic electric means for heating chamber of, Sad aPPartus Whlchls harem after described, to the intake of the exhaust the water of the said a aratus to a redeterinined temperaturaplthereby rendering fanor blwer theecton beug 01.1, the Ime .o more regular the action of the apparatus by H of Flg.' l lookmg m the dlrectlon of the keeping the saidnormaldegree of hu-midifiarrqws;

cat-ion constant/during a considerable -length Elg 5 1S a fragmentary detall etw m,: e1e' of tima vation of a .modification of the switch con- A further object of my invention lis to provide a meansfor adjusting s aid normal degree of humidiicationfrom time to time byadustinga part of my apparatus which con- 4 trols the temperature of the water employed in the apparatus. l

of my-apparatus, which is hereinafter described.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views:

\ A fufef of my is@ pie- 25.133.211afrsaaadairaagm vent a violent commotion of the water in atus, the forger contaigs t th l D app said apparatus when the latter is suddenly theref a water tankl?) 1:1 th; 132g; s;

" glued. 1.1mm t9 Pi'oduc comparatively large minates at the lower end thereofin a water quintales 0f ljnolsture Y tank 14. Both tanks are hopper-.shaped as f- Rother Oblect 0f my 1 Went '10 n 1S auto shown. Vertical curtain bale walls or inmatically to keep vthe water in said apparatus complete partitions 15 andl6 are placed in.

w at a fairly CODSaDl' level.; the li'umidifying chamber for aV purpose,

A further obJect of my improvement 1s to which is hereinafter described, and a similar Other objects and advantages will herein- 60` by anyv mechanical equivalent or obvious $5 trolling means of the water heatingmeans 55 .11 designates a humidiying compartment 9 a. casing 20, shown in Fig. 1, continually to exhaust air passing through the said compartment 11 and 12 through an opening`21 1n said com artment 12 and an intake casing 22 of said an.

The arrows at 23 show the direction of thel flow of air from the discharge end of said casing into the room.

An air intake elbow 24 is employed, as in Fig. 1, for conducting air into the said compartment 11 of the apparatus; said intake may be located in a space or chamber which has a regulated communication both with the air in the room or rooms and with the outside air, admitting air from either of these sources or from both of them in any required proportions. The valves and ducts employed for this purpose may be of any standard design, and are not shown in the drawings of this application.

A current of air passes from the said intake at 24 into the said compartment 11 and comes into contact with the surface of the water in said tank 13, rises upwardly in the space in front of said first baille 15, passes over said curtain wall 15, is deflected bythe roof 25 of the apparatus downwardly into the space between baffles 15 and 16, contacts with the water again in said tank 13.I is then deflected upwardly into the space between said baffles 16 and 17, thereby completing a path resembling the shape of the letter S, and passes over baille 17 into said compartment 12, where said current is defiected again by said roof 25 and passes through a system of minor baille plates 26, whereon it comes in Contact with an air scrubbing andhumidifying arrangement in the form of a spray of water which is discharged downwardly from a series of orifices 27 in water spray a pipe 28 which is positioned above said plates 26; said water removes the dust from said current of air and carries it down into the said tank 14, fromA which it may be periodically discharged as mud by means of a blow olf 29 at the lower end of said tank 14, intowhich said dust or slud e settles down by gravity.

The current o air from said compartment .12f`passes throughl said'opening 21 and the interior of said intake casing 22 into contact with the impeller 20'* of said exhaust fan, which is enclosed by said casing 20, and from the latter into the room, after having absorbed' a normal quantity of moisture from the water in said tank 13, wherein a constant predetermined temperature is maintained by an automatic device, which is hereinafter described.

To supply additional moisture to the said current of air when needed I provide a standard type of humidostat 30 and a solenoid 3l` which is electrically connected by means of a circuit 32 to a source of electrical energy 33', a suitable switch in said circuit 32 is controlled by said humidostat 30, whereby said solenoid 31 is actuated only when there is a deficiency of moisture in the air of the room as determined by said humidostat 30, and is inactive when there, is no such deliciency.

The core 34 of said solenoid 31 is shown as secured or 4coupled to one end of a shaft 35, which is horizontally positioned: both said core 34 and said shaft 35 are slidably supported by suitable bearings 36 and 37, which are shown in Fig. 1; said bearings permit said shaft and said core 34 to slide lengthwise thereof.

The other end of said shaft 35 has secured thereto one part-38 of a two part friction clutch` 38-39; the other part 39 of said clutch is secured to the shaft 40 of said motor 19 and the impeller 20';l of said exhaust fan 20- 20.

Said shafts 35 and 40 are positioned in line with each other; the outer end of said core 34 has thereon a collar 42 to receive the thrust of one end of a compression spring 41; a washer may be interposed between said spring 41 and said collar 42, if desired. The other end of said spring 41 is abutting against a shoulder. which is formed in a recess of a brass tube 42` which is stationary and positioned coaxially with said core 34; said spring 41 is initially stressed to draw said core 34 and said shaft 35 towards the right in Fig. 1, thereby keeping said parts 38 and 39 of said clutch 38-39 out of contact with each other, the action of the solenoid 31, under the inuence of said humidostat 3Q, moves said core 34 and shaft 35 towards the left in Fig. 1, against the force of said spring 41, thereby bringing said parts 38 and 39 into engagement with each other and thereby causing said shaft 35 to be actuated by said motor19.

Said s' aft 35 has secured thereto wheels 43, mounted to revolve in vertical planes, and each of said wheels 43 has secured thereto a perforated disk 44, which may be made of wire screen, to revolve in a vertical plane; the peripheries of said wheels 43 also have secured thereto perforated bands or tires 45 preferably o f wire screens, to revolve with said wheels 43'; the lower parts of said wheels are shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as extending into `the water in said tank 13, thereby raising some water, when said Wheels are being revolved by said shaft 35, and atomizing the same, whereby the humidification of the current of air passing through said compartment 11 is further amplified, in addition to its `normal humidification as hereinbefore def screen, to envelop the. lower parts of said tory motion of the latter is restricted to a.

wheels 43, whereby the effect of the circulacomparatively small area and volume of water.

When the air in the room or rooms becomes'suiciently humidified, the solenoid 31 is automatically disconnected from the source of electrical energy 33 by the humidostatl 30, and the shaft 35 with the core 34 are drawn by said spring 41 tothe right in Fig. 1, thereby disengaging said parts 38 and 39 of said clutch 38-39 from each other, and thereby disconnecting said shaft 35 with said wheels 43 thereon from said motor 19, whereupon the above described -additional humiditication 1s discontinued and only the hereinbefore described normal humidication is allowed to The ysupply of water to said tank 13 through saidpipe 28-is controlled by a whistle valve 47, which is shown in Fig. 2 as having its stem connected by means of a rod 48 to a ioat 49 in such a Way that the risingl of said i'loat 49 tends to close said valve V47 Yand thev dropping of said {ioat 49 tends to open said valve, whereby the Water in said tank 13 may be maintained at a .substantially constant level.

Tomaintain the water in saidtank 13 at a constant temperature, when so desired, for 'any desired length of time I provide an automatic water heater, which comprises an electric furnace element 51. which is connect@ ed by means of an electric circuit' 52 to .a sourceof electric energy 53; a thermostat, comprising a corrugated expansion element 54 enclosed in a casing 55,' has thereon a switch- 56-57, consisting of a fixed slideV or bar 56, having thereon' a'stop 56, and a con- I rugated tube 54 at 61.

. In the position vshown in tact arm 57 which is carried by abell-crank lever 57-58, which is pivotally connected to said casing at 59 and to a stem 60 on said 4cor.-

element V51'is receiving electric energy from said source 53, thereby heating the water in Y Y .laid tank 13; when the temperature of, said 'water reaches or exceeds a certain point said contact arm 57 reaches the position shown in dotted lineslin Fig. 3, thereby opening said switch 56-57 and disconnecting said furnace.

clement 51 from said source'53.

Inv a similar way a dropping. or reduction `of the temperature of said water'below saidpoint will cause said sylphon tube to close' lf-faid switch 556-57, .thereby connecting said season.' In this way a normally uniform rate of humidiication is maintained in the apparatus as hereinbefore described.

o change the temperature of the water in said tank 13 from time to time during different seasons of the year or for widely different conditions of the weather, I provide a modification of the switch controlling means, which is shown in Fig 5, and in which the stem 60a of the corrugated tube 54 is threaded, to receive'a nut 66, `which has thereon a groove; a strap 67 is swivelled-in said groove, and ma consist of two sections; secured to each ot -er by rivets; a pin 68 may be employed on said strap 67 for pivotally connecting thereto said arm 5 8 of said bell crank lever 57--58.

It is evident that, by adjusting the position of said nut 66 and said stem 65, the contact of said arm 57 with said bar 56 may be either hastened or delayed, thereby /changing `the action of said electric heater and thereby also changing the temperature of the water in said tank 13.

The said corrugated expansion tube or element may be of Standard design and filled with a suitable chemical or gas, such as ethyl chloride. n e

To discharge from said tank 13 any sludge, which may pass into it from said tank 14, I

provide on the lower end Vof said tank 13 a intake 24 may be connected to said fan 20L-2Q by means of a by-pass which is n ot shown, and said motor 19 and fan employed for ventilation. i

' Many changes may be made in the details of my humidity controlling apparatuswithout departing from the main scopeof my invention and parts of my invention may be used without other parte.

.I do not. therefore, restrict myself to the details as shown in the drawings, but I intend to include also 'all mechanical equivalents and obvious modifications ofthe same vwithin thescope of my invention. Y

I claim as my invention and desire -to seu cure by Letters Patent:

1. In a humidity controlling apparatus a compartment, adapted for passage of air` therethrough, a means for inducing the dow of said air, a rotary atomizer,a motor, for actuating the same, a means for rotatably con- .necting said atomizer to said motor, whereby mittently rotated and, whereby the humidity'. of the air may be maintained at any desired saturation-point,

2. In a humidity controlling apparatus a compartment adapted for passage of air4 therethrough, a means for inducing the How of said air, a means for maintaining a body of water in said compartment having the surface thereof exposed to said current, a means for directing said current into contact with said surface for producing thereby a normal amount of humidification of said air, an intermittently acting atomizer associated with said body of water and a humidostat for controlling the action of said atomizer, electri- ,cally connected thereto, whereby additional humidity may be imparted to said current of air, whereby the humidity of the air may be maintained at a controlled point.

3. In a humidity controlling apparatus, ,a compartment adapted for the passage of air therethrough, a motor driven fan for inducing the flow of saidV air, a means for imparting a normal degree of humidity to said air, a shaft, for maintaining the impeller of said i fan thereon, intermittently acting atomizers in said compartment, a shaft, for actuat. ing said atomizers, a two part clutch` for detachably coupling said shafts to each other, and a humidostat, for controlling the engage ment of said parts to each other, whereby said atomizers may be intermittently actuated to :mpply additional humidity to said air.

4. In a humidity controlling apparatus, a compartment adaptedfor the passage of air therethrough, a motor driven fan, for inducing the ow of said air .through said comnartment. a means for imparting a normal degree of humidity to said air. a shaft.. for maintaining the impeller of said fan thereon. intermittently acting atomizers in said compartment, a shaft for actuating said itomizers, a two part clutch. for detachably coupling said shaftsto each other, thereby actuating said atomizer shaftan automatic means, for normally keeping said parts disengaged from each other, a solenoid, forenraging said parts to each other. in opposition to the force of said automat-ic means, and a i humidostat. for controlling the action'of said solenoid, whereby said atomizers may be intermittently actuated to supply additional humidity to said air.

5. In a humidity controlling apparatus a y compartment adapted for the passage of air therethrough, a motor driven fan, for inducmg the How of said air through said compartment, a means for imparting a normal degree of humidity to said air, a shaft, for mounting the impeller of said fan thereon, intermittently actin"V atomizers in said compartment, a shaft fdr actuating said atomizers, a two part clutch, for detachably coupling said shafts to each other, thereby actuating said atomizer shaft, a resilient means, for normally keeping said parts disengaged from each other, a solenoid, for engaging said parts to each other in opposition to the force of said resilient means, and a humidostat, for controlling the action of said solenoid, whereby said atomizers may be intermittently actuated to supply additional humidity to said air.

6. 'In a humidity controlling apparatus a compartment adapted for the assage of air therethrough, a motor driven an, for induc ing the flow of said air through said compartment, a means for imparting a normal degree of humidity to said air, a shaft, for maintaining the impeller of said fan thereon, intermittently acting atomizers in said compartment, a shaft` for actuating said atomizers` a two part clutch. for detachably coupling said shafts to each other, thereby actuating said atomizer shaft, a spring. for nor mally keeping said parts disengaged from each other, a solenoid, for engaging said parts to each other against the force of said spring, and a humidostat, for controlling the action of said solenoid, whereby said atomizers may be intermittently actuated to supply additional humidity to said air.

7. In a humidity controlling apparatus a compartment adapted for the passage of air therethrough, a. means for inducing the flow of said air, an open water container in said compartment having the surface of its water in contact with said air, one or more disc atomizers, revolvably mounted in said compartment with parts of their peripheries immersed in said water, intermittently to humidity said air, and perforated shallow troughs in saidv water, positioned to envelope said immersed parts, thereby preventing a violent commotion of the water in said tank by the m'otion of said atomizers.

8. In a humidity controlling apparatus a compartment adapted for the passage of air therethrough, a means for inducing the flow of said current, van open water container in said compartment, having the surface of its water in contact with `said air, whereby a normal degree of humidification of said air is produced, an intermittently acting means for supplying additional humidity to said air, an electric heater for said water, a source of electric energy, a circuit, for connecting said heater to said source, a switch in said circuit, a lever for opening and closing said switch a corrugated tube thermostat in said i water, for automatically actuating saidv lever,

whereby to maintain a normally uniform lll.

rate of humidication,v a` threaded stem on said corrugated tube, a nut in engagement with said stem, a strap,swiyel1ed on said nut and ivotally connected to said lever, whereby t 1e action of said lever maybe adjusted from time to time to change the temperature of said water thereby changing thesaid normal rate of humiditication according to the season of the year and the condition of the Weather.

9. in a humidity controlling apparatus, a compartment adapted for the passage of air therethrough, meansv orinducing the iow of said air, an open water container in said compartment, having the surace of its water in contact with said air, means for directing said current into contact with said surface whereby a normal de ree of humidification of said airis produce an intermittently acting automatic means for supplying additional humidity to said air, and an intermittently acting automatic heating means for automatically maintaining the temperature of said water constant for any desired length of time whereby the normal rate of humidification may be maintained substantially constant.

l0. in a humidity controlling apparatus, a compartment adapted for the passage of air therethrough, means for inducing the iiow of f said air, an open water container 1n said compertinent, having the surface of its water in contact with said air, and means for directing said current into contact with said surface whereby a normal degree of humidiiication of said air is produced, an intermit-v tently acting automatic means, for supplying additional humidity to said air, an electric heater for intermittently automatically supplying vheat to saidA water, and`a ther'- inostatic means, for controlling the action o .said heater, thereby maintaining a constant temperature in said water, whereby the normal rate ci humidiiication maybe maintained substantially constant. t

l1. ln a humidity controllingV apparatus, a compartment adapted for the passage of air therethrough,meansor'inducing the flow Aof said air, anopen water tank in said compartment, having the surface of its water in contact with said air, substantially vertical curtain walls in said compartment disposed roridireoting said air in a sinusoidal ath into contact with said surface, `where y a hsa:

normal degree of humidity is imparted to said air, an intermittently acting motor ydriven atomizer, and an automatic means for rotatably connecting said motor to said atoiniZer, thereby intermittently augmenting said humidity.

12. In a humidity controlling apparatus, aY

, compartment adapted for the passage of air therethrough, means for inducing the ow of said air, an open water tank in said comt5 pertinent having the surface of its water in.

munication with thesaid rst named coni-y partment at the discharge end ot the latter whereby said air maybe washed after said humidifying operation has been completed.

13. Inv a humidity controlling apparatus a compartment adaptedA for the passage of air therethrough, a means orinducing the ow yof said air, a rotary atomizer, a support therefor, a motor, automatic electric means for movin saidA support and atomizer axially towar said motor for intermittently rotatably connecting said motoi to said atomizer, whereby to rotate the latter, said electric means also controlling the operation of said connecting means, thereb re ulating the ac-v tion of said atomizer, w ere y the latter is intermittently rotated and whereby the humidity of the air may be maintained vat a constant saturation point.

14. In a humidity controlling apparatus a compartment adapted for the passage of air therethrough, a means for inducing the ilow of said air, an open water container in said compartment havin the surfaceo its water in contact with sai lair, whereby a normal degree of humidiication of said air is produced, an intermittently acting means for supplying additional humidity to said air, an

intermittently lacting automatic heatingl Ameans for maintaining the Atem 'erature of tomatic heating means for. changin the said temperature from time to time `w ereby to changesaid normal rate of humidication according 'to the season of the condition of the weather( Signed at New Y ork iii York and State of New York this 26th day of June, A. D. 1929.v

, GIBSON BUTTFIELD. L

the county of New l year and the 1,15 

